Are there any cheapie C# high whistles out there? I’ve looked at the site and the Whistleshop online and so far I can’t seem to find one. I’m on double secret money probation at the moment so I’m talking about in the Generation price range. Thanks. 
-Paul
Unless you want to mess with a hacksaw and lots of tape, I don’t think I can help you.
Oh man, I loved that movie!
I HAVE to ask. . .why on earth are you in need of a C# whistle to the point that you would risk being found by your double probation officer hitting the secret money fund?
Curious Cat
I want a C# whistle to play along with Seamus Ennis recordings to whistle songs into my head. All his pipe music is in C#. It’d be to use in the car and other time when I don’t have Slowdowner available.
As to the Probation Officer, she’s just watching the pennies for now which is a good thing. If I went out and bought an expensive whistle right now she would be pretty upset. I could use some daily spending cash to get a cheapie and just throw it in the mix. Nobody would ever notice. 
I got curious and looked through all the usual suspects for kinda-cheapies:
Tony Dixon doesn’t offer a C#
Susato doesn’t offer a C#
I think Bill Whedon of Serpent or Daniel Bingamon of Jubilee might be willing to work with you on this (I know Serpent will do “odd keys” like C# for an extra $15 setup fee, and I seem to recall something similar on the Jubilee site) but you might have to save your pennies a while - even if they’re willing to do the tweeking on their cheapest whistle model, you’re probably in the neighborhood of ~$50.
If you find a source, please let us know online - I’m sorta curious!
Hmmmmh. I just learned a track off 40 years of Pipering and it was in C, not C sharp. I don’t even remember tuning particularly sharp… Sixpenny Money/When the Cock Crows it is Day, btw.
What about an afternoon of changing the pitch on Slowdowner and copying the result off to a new CD? Is it possible?
i would do the sameas tyghress
if you don’t like that, i found one for 37$ http://jubileeinstruments.messianic-webhosting.com/whis-himetal.htm
While we’re on the subject of unusual keys, does anyone know of a cheap whistle in B? For some reason, all these pipers are playing in B now. (It’s a mystery to me.)
Justine
If you’ve got a few hand tools and an electronic tuner, it’s not really all that hard to make replacement bodies in other keys. If you’ve got a Generation or similar C whistle head, you can buy the right brass tubing for a few dollars at a good hobby shop. Then a little quality time with a drill, some round files and a tuner. (My main whistle is a Perri C head on a tuneable brass barrel, with D, C, and B bodies. I haven’t made a C# body yet.)
The only real problem is that an addiction to instrument building is easily triggered, and can be quite debilitating. 
Good luck,
eric.
To save you a few dollars, the tonehole arrangement for is in one of my books if you want to build your own.
Also, a freebee, go to http://jubileeinstruments.messianic-webhosting.com/experiem.htm and run my TWCALC (Tin Whistle Calculator) program. You can enter the bore diameter and wall thickness for a brass tube.
First get a cheap whistle, remove the fipple. Put the fipple on a new brass tube. You can get brass tubes from a Hobby Town store (or other hobby shop), Specialshapes.com or smallparts.com.
Cut the tubing down until you get a C# bottom note and use TWCALC to get the tonehole positions.
If you want to try this, leave any questions on this topic and I’ll help you through it.
For C# (and for B) why not get yourself a Syn. Erle will make either (or both) for you. If you already have a head, you’d only need to buy a tube. I’ve been meaning to get both C# and B from him for a while now but I just seem to be too busy (or something.) This might be just outside your price range but not by much and you will get a good whistle for your money. If you already have a Syn head, then it would be within your range I think.
Just a thought on the C-sharp–Generation whistles come tuned so sharp by default that if you buy a C-whistle, chances are it’s more in tune out of the box as a C-sharp whistle than as a true C-whistle.
–James
James above is in one of his more positive moods today supplying heaps of useful information.
Wombat above recommends Syn for B and other usual keys. I ordered a B Syn [and a D sharing a head], delivery was quick and efficient BUT if you are looking for a generation type whistle in price and playing characteristics , the SYN just isn’t that. And I for one decided to let them go after a month or two.
That’s good to know. I like the Generations and Oaks best, as I find most of the others take too much air for me. But can beggars really be choosers when it comes to B whistles?
J.
‘Recommends’ is putting it a bit strongly since I haven’t played any but an early prototype D sent to me for comment. Certainly, if they are anything like the D I have, they wouldn’t resemble a Gen at all. Maybe I was reading too quickly, but I thought the desired qualification was cheapness, not similarity to Gens. (Sorry if I got that wrong.)
Again I think that the latest models will be a bit different from my prototype, but if I had to compare it for sound and responsiveness, I think it comes close to an Elfsong, although I prefer it to my Elfsong. Tonally, it’s a bit like a Burke, but a Burke would be more responsive and a lot more expensive.
It’s probably more my reply was coloured by my own experience. I hoped they’d be closer to a Generation and ended up a bit disappointed. SYNs are fine whistles in themselves but they just didn’t suit me. Their responsiveness, air/pressure input they required, a bit of a clogging issue [I want a whistle you can play as you pick it up, without hassle].
Yes.
Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate all the thoughtful input. After much thought I have resolved to follow Eric and Talsagia’s advice.
It sounds like a fun project. I went ahead and ordered a brass C from The Whistleshop just now. I have a whole garage full of technicians and precision tools. I’ll get the measurements from Daniel Bingamon’s site (thanks Daniel!) and give it a go. I’ll let everyone know how it turns out. It’ll be a few days at least, but I’m gonna do it! I sincerely thank y’all again for your help.
All the best,
Paul